The Citadel - Warner Archive Collection

The first rule of fiction writing is "write what you know." That's why the legal novels by former lawyer John Grisham and crime yarns by ex-crime reporter Michael Connelly ring so true. And it's why The Citadel, which won the National Book Award in 1937 and spawned an excellent film adaptation the following year, feels far more authentic than most medical tales. Its author, A.J. Cronin, was a respected physician for more than a decade before he took up writing, and he weaves his groundbreaking research about the health dangers of coal dust inhalation into this absorbing, substantive story that both celebrates and harshly critiques the medical profession.

As the movie opens, new med school graduate Andrew Manson (Robert Donat) arrives in a very poor coal-mining community in Wales, England to apprentice with an aged doctor who turns out to be completely incapacitated. Thus, Andrew must learn the ropes all on his own, but his baptism by fire (he treats measles and typhoid and revives a stillborn baby) helps him gain both invaluable experience and confidence. He also befriends Dr. Philip Denny (Ralph Richardson), who opens his eyes to the deplorable living conditions that affect the health of the town residents.

During the measles outbreak, Andrew locks horns with schoolteacher Christine Barlow (Rosalind Russell), but the two eventually develop a warm rapport, and when the only stumbling block preventing Andrew from securing a new and better job in a larger town is his status as a single man, he asks her to marry him. She accepts, but managing the demands of stubborn coal miners and the industry's maddening bureaucracy tries Andrew's patience, and he's shocked by the intense backlash he receives when he shares his findings about the health risks of long-term coal dust exposure.

Andrew and Christine eventually come to London, but starting a big city practice isn't easy. Andrew struggles once more, but after a chance encounter with Dr. Frederick Lawford (Rex Harrison), one of his med school cronies, his luck begins to change. Almost overnight, Andrew finds himself in a rarefied circle of high-class, country-club doctors and rich, hypochondriac patients willing to pay for attention rather than treatment. For the first time in Andrew's life, money starts to roll in, but compromising his ethics for quick cash and a lofty reputation doesn't sit well with Christine.

The Citadel depicts what's best and worst about the medical profession, and it's both inspiring and eye-opening. The film pulls few punches as it condemns the epidemic of ethical misconduct sweeping through a vocation built on steadfast principles and trust. Cronin's criticisms are so potent that MGM felt compelled to include a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie stating that, despite what might be presented on screen, the studio still had the utmost respect for the important work doctors do. Though some of the behavior in The Citadel is shameful and reprehensible, it's hardly shocking in this day and age of rampant malpractice and fraud. What is surprising is how little things have changed over the past century.

The film's episodic presentation works for and against it. The Citadel starts strong. The first two chapters focus on Andrew's maturation, his passion for medicine and research, and his commitment to helping people. He holds himself to high standards and butts heads with those in the establishment who cut corners or harbor hidden, questionable agendas. But when the action shifts to London and Andrew embraces the attitudes he used to loathe and gets sucked into the cushy, dull life of a high-class doctor, the film loses some of its steam. Maybe it's because Andrew becomes unlikable or maybe the script simply draws out events to make points that could be conveyed more succinctly.

One of the first MGM movies produced in England as part of a partnership with Denham Studios, The Citadel exudes a distinct British flavor despite the casting of Russell as the female lead. (MGM undoubtedly felt it needed an American hook to attract U.S. audiences.) The film was an enormous hit, raking in $2.5 million at the box office and nabbing four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Director (King Vidor), Actor, and Screenplay. The New York Film Critics Circle and National Board of Review both named it Best Film, and its legacy reached far beyond the motion picture industry. Cronin's novel and its film adaptation reportedly contributed to the founding and development of Britain's National Health Service in 1947.

Donat deservedly earned his Oscar nod for his natural, often impassioned portrayal of a good man who somehow abandons his ideals and goes astray. (He would lose to Spencer Tracy for Boys Town.) It's possible Donat's upset Best Actor win the following year for Goodbye, Mr. Chips (he beat out both heavy favorite Clark Gable for Gone with the Wind and James Stewart for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) just might have been a consolation prize for not getting the award for The Citadel. (Many surmise the same thing happened to Stewart, who took home the Oscar for The Philadelphia Story the year after the more deserving Mr. Smith.) Though Hollywood would try numerous times to lure Donat away from England, health issues and stage commitments kept the extremely talented actor in his home country for most of his career. 

Russell, who was still rising through the ranks at MGM and wouldn't really hit her stride until The Women the following year and His Girl Friday the year after that, files an engaging and at times emotional performance and fits in quite well with the otherwise all-British cast that includes two future knights - Richardson and Harrison - in supporting roles. Richardson has the showier and juicier part and plays it to the hilt.

The Citadel is an important film and, despite some faults, still plays well today. Like any other business, medicine has its issues and The Citadel shines a spotlight on some of its more unsavory aspects without tarnishing our respect for the dedicated members of the profession who toil tirelessly for the greater good. That's a difficult tightrope to walk, but The Citadel, thanks to Vidor's assured direction and the textured performances of Donat and others, manages it with aplomb.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
The Citadel arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu without music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.

A brand new HD master struck from 4K scans of the best preservation elements yields a stellar 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that resuscitates this 87-year-old antique. Clarity and contrast are quite good, with lush blacks, bright whites, and varied grays producing a vibrant picture that exhibits a fair amount of depth. The movie's original grain structure remains intact, preserving the integrity of Harry Stradling Jr.'s cinematography and lending the image a lovely film-like feel. Excellent shadow delineation enhances nocturnal scenes, and the dingy mine sequence and sharp close-ups highlight Russell's flawless complexion and Donat's bushy mop of hair and pencil-thin mustache. Background elements and costume textures are distinct, and any print damage has been erased.

A couple of missing frames toward the end of the film are noticeable, but masterfully masked, and though some softness is occasionally evident due to the multiple sources used, the instances aren't particularly bothersome. The Citadel has certainly never looked better on home video, and Warner Archive deserves kudos for so successfully curing this medical classic of its visual ills.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track provides clear, well-modulated sound. Excellent fidelity brings the music score to life and helps it easily fill the room, while solid bass frequencies add palpable depth to the explosions in the sewer and rumblings in the mine. Sonic accents like train whistles and subtleties like a ticking clock are crisp, all the dialogue is well prioritized and comprehendible, and no hiss, pops, or crackle intrude.

The extras package includes two shorts, a cartoon, and the film's original trailer.

• Vintage Short: The Ship That Died (SD, 10 minutes) - Billed as "An Historical Mystery," this one-reeler - directed by Jacques Tourneur a few years before he would move on to features and make a splash with Cat People - surmises what might have happened to the Mary Celeste, a ship that was found floating without a crew in 1872.
• Vintage Short: Strange Glory (SD, 11 minute) - Another "Historical Mystery" also directed by Tourneur, this short examines "the Tennessee Plan," a successful Union military campaign during the Civil War, and tries to determine who was responsible for authoring it. Eagle eyes will spot recognizable character actor Byron Foulger in a bit part.
• Vintage Cartoon: The Daffy Doc (HD, 7 minutes) - Porky Pig gets star billing in this 1938 black-and-white Looney Tunes cartoon, but it's Daffy Duck in one of his earliest appearances who has the leading role. Daffy plays a disgraced medical assistant who decides to become a doctor and try out his self-taught skills on a captive and very frightened Porky.
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 5 minutes) - The lengthy original preview tries its best to sell The Citadel as one of the best pictures of the year.

A prestige picture that still makes relevant points about the medical profession more than eight decades after its premiere, The Citadel mixes strong messaging with absorbing drama. Donat and Russell shine in this Oscar-nominated film that's been given an attractive facelift by Warner Archive. A 4K scan of the best surviving preservation elements, remastered audio, and a few vintage supplements make The Citadel a worthy addition to every serious classics fan's collection. Highly Recommended.